Bring it On
by Kurohane Ookami
Summary: You'd think that there would be some normality in a girl's life. But no, Aaron Stein just keeps drawing the short straw when it comes to the mysteries going on at the Academy. Her conclusion? Drag her poor Weapon along for the ride! Among all of the insanity, Aaron finds herself being drawn back into the life she left for a reason. What's a girl to do? M for language and theme.
1. Chapter 1

"I…am officially bored."

"You said that seventy times already."

"It's true. I don't even have anything to dissect right now." The young woman sighed, hanging upside down on the grey couch, shoulder length black hair sticking out in every direction as per usual. "It almost makes me wish that we had a Kishin to hunt right now. Anything to break the monotony."

Rolling over, she adjusted her large rimmed oval glasses, pale green eyes staring balefully at her companion. Her baggy grey sweater was open, revealing a tight black t-shirt, and she wore a pair of loose yoga pants that were hanging low on her hips.

"Yuno…entertain me."

Yuno sighed, brushing his brown ponytail out of the way as he shifted from his position on the floor, putting the book he was reading down so that he could lift a slim brow questioningly over a pair of dark blue eyes.

"And what do you want me to do? It's over for us, Aaron. No more. We hit the end of the road like everybody else is eventually going to." He replied softly, shrugging with one shoulder. "If you really want something to do, why don't you actually answer the calls that Death keeps sending you? It's beginning to get annoying how often he actually tries to get a hold of you."

"Then answer them. I'm not interested." Aaron drawled, rolling back onto her back and sulkily crossing her arms over her petite chest.

"Now you're just being childish." Yuno sighed. "It was ten years ago. How long are you going to keep having this feud with him?"

"As long as it takes for him to grow a pair and apologize."

"We're going to be waiting a while, then." The male clarified, receiving a confirmative grunt in reply.

Sighing, the male picked up his book again and flipped to the bookmarked page, fully intent on finishing it before the end of the day, when another chime from the mirror alerted them to another call from the male they had just been speaking about.

"It's for you." Yuno deadpanned, sending a meaningful look to his companion. All she returned in reply was another grunt, closely followed by a string of unpleasant curses that would make most cringe, but now only made the brown haired male sigh tiredly. Obviously there would be no getting along between the pair of them anytime soon, but he could always hope, right?

"Fine. I guess I'll get it. Again." The male sighed, moving to get up, only to find himself flattened a moment later as a lithe frame tackled him to the floor.

"Don't even think about it." The black haired woman threatened, holding her partner by the throat as she snarled the words. Yuno merely stared at the woman in return, raising a brow but making no move to defend himself from the currently irritated woman who also happened to slightly resemble a frazzled cat of some kind. It would be difficult to pinpoint what kind of cat, mind, considering that there were so many to choose from, but that was his current thought process. In fact, this behavior didn't even faze him anymore. They'd been partners for just over eleven years; he'd had a lot of time to adjust to Aaron's attitude and sometimes borderline insane habits.

"Alright, fine. Have it your way." Yuno said, attempting to sooth the sudden rage that had sprouted up again. "But we both know he's going to keep calling, and we both know that you want to go back for your own reasons."

Aaron stared down at him with an unreadable expression before letting out a snort and releasing the male, even going so far as to help him up when he silently held out a hand.

"Fine. I'll talk to him. But if you try to make me go back, I'll screw with your resonance so badly you won't even be able to use your weapon form." The black haired woman threatened, stalking over to the mirror and muttering under her breath, accepting the call.

"_Hey hey hey! You finally answered me!" _the ever cheerful voice of Lord Death came through, closely followed by his tall and gangly appearance. _"It's been a while, Miss Stein!" _

"I would appreciate it if you didn't refer to me by that name. It's Aaron. Use it." The woman growled, crossing her arms. "And get to the point. I know you aren't just calling me to say hello again."

"_Correct, as always, my dear!" _Lord Death tilted his head to one side as he clapped his overly large hands together. _"Rather, there's someone else I'd like you to speak to of a very important matter that's risen here at the Academy."_

Yuno shifted over to take a look at the mirror from the background, saying nothing as Lord Death moved aside to reveal a very familiar face. It was, after all, difficult to forget that face, what with the stitches and scars and the ever present screw that went right through the man's skull.

"_Aaron."_

"Father."

Both father and daughter stated the relations without much inflection, glasses glinting in the light. In that moment, it wasn't all that difficult to see that the pair were related, even though most others just couldn't see it, no matter how hard they tried. But given his experiences with both Stein and Aaron, it was clear as day to him.

"_I trust you've been well?" _

"As much as I can be. What is this important matter that you find so necessary to speak to me about?" the younger Stein inquired, shifting her stance to lean on one leg, her elbows resting on her hip.

"_How much do you know about Black Blood?" _

-;-

Yuno was quickly lost in the complicated conversation that the pair of dubbed 'geniuses' were having, but it didn't mean that he didn't follow along the best he could.

Needless to say, there was a lot about Black Blood that he found that he didn't even know, but he wrote that one off as still being young. He might be a Weapon, but it didn't mean that he automatically knew everything that went on in the world or what it all meant. Eventually, the quiet male simply settled onto the couch and waited for the end of the conversation to wrap itself up.

"So the Black Blood essentially causes madness in whatever it manages to infect?" Aaron mused. "And you think that one of the Weapons at the Academy's been infected?"

"_It's only been a couple of days, but during the treatment of his wounds, there were traces of Black Blood. If that's one hundred percent positive, then it means that we have a very serious problem on our hands."_

"Does anyone know the origins of the Black Blood? Werewolves, vampires, witches..?" Aaron asked, blowing a couple of hairs out of her face.

Stein shook his head. _"Not that we know of, but there are rumors of it coming from the witches."_

"If it's from the witches, which actually makes a great deal of sense, wouldn't it be the most logical conclusion to come to that they're trying to cause mayhem in the Academy and potentially the entirety of the Weapons and Techs out there?"

"_Possibly. We aren't entirely sure at this point, but that's why Lord Death tried to contact you in the first place. He wants you to come back to the Academy to do your own investigation; without alerting any of the staff that you're here on official business."_

"You think there's a Black Blood user among the populace at the Academy?"

"_It's a possibility, as I said. It's still early yet, and all of this could be for nothing, but for safety's sake, Lord Death wants you and Yuno to come back. He may be able to seek out some of the more reluctant answers, if there are any."_

"Will there be payment?" the black haired woman asked, pursing her lips slightly.

"_Of course. Along with room and board. You will also have all inclusive access anywhere in the Academy, given your status."_

There was a long silence from Aaron, and then she turned to Yuno, raising one slender brow curiously over her glasses. The brown haired male shrugged, flicking a couple of his fingers in reply. Sighing and rolling her eyes, Aaron turned back to the man in the mirror, looking none too pleased about the results that she'd come up with. Again, however, Yuno could see that she was intrigued by this mystery.

"Very well. Expect us in three days." She stated curtly.

Stein inclined his head. _"We will see you then." _

Without much else, Aaron disconnected the call and stood in front of the mirror for several more minutes before she ran a hand through her hair and slammed her fist into the stone wall next to the mirror. There was an audible crunch, but the black haired woman didn't appear to be affected by the pain in the least, instead keeping her features carefully blank.

"Yuno, go grab my bag. We're going out."

The male nodded, moving silently over to the table and grabbing both of their always packed bags that were always taken with them whenever they were to travel before tossing Aaron's to her and throwing his over his shoulder.

"I take it we're going to check out the town where the attack initially occurred?" he asked calmly.

"Of course." Aaron snorted. "We need the appropriate amount of information before we go anywhere. Besides, I might as well delay my meeting with my father for a little longer."

"Of course." The Weapon agreed, opening the door for Aaron and following the black haired woman out, closing it firmly behind them.

Time for another adventure.


	2. Chapter 2

"Well, there was definitely _something_ here that attacked the students." Aaron allowed as she stood from her crouched position, fingers leaving the floor. Neutrally, she studied the faint black and red stains left on the tips before wiping off the debris on her yoga pants.

"You don't think it was the Demon Sword?" Yuno asked, suppressing a shudder as he looked around the thoroughly damaged church. There was something seriously off about this place, and it was continuously causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. Although he wasn't usually bothered by much, this was one of the rare times that the Weapon was forcing himself not to bolt from this place. There were tainted auras still lingering in the still air; things that Aaron couldn't pick up but he could.

"I'm considering every option." Came the vague answer. "Witches have been known to cast illusions. Besides, it could just be a Dark Weapon. There is a high likelihood that it is only on the way to becoming a Demon Sword."

"If you say so." Yuno muttered, rubbing his arms through his sweater subconsciously. "I'm going to wait outside. This place isn't clean anymore. It's been tainted."

"Look around outside for any other clues, if you wouldn't mind." Aaron commented offhandedly, grabbing her bag off of the floor and beginning to rummage through it for something or another. Yuno huffed lightly, exiting the church and stepping into the faint moonlight. His dark blue eyes surveyed the cracked stone around him, but there was little interest in actually taking a closer look. He could put together what had happened easily enough. The Demon Sword and the students had started fighting in the church, but then had made their way out into the surrounding area of the church. That must have been when someone else arrived. A Weapon, too, judging by the faint scents that were still left behind.

One of his quirks; being able to detect and separate scents into a semblance of identification. It came in handy sometimes, but now, it only made him frown. It was a painful reminder of a past life that he'd rather not remember, if at all possible.

"Anything out here?"

"Not really. But there was another pair of Technician and Weapon here. Probably Stein." Yuno replied, turning to meet his Technician's piercing green gaze.

"Hm. Alright, we're done here. Let's go." Aaron said, no emotion whatsoever crossing her features at the statement. "There's a long way to go to get to the Academy, and we've got two days to get there."

-;-

"Well…it would appear that they are well on their way." Lord Death mused as he studied the mirror closely. "She looks a lot like her mother, don't you think~?"

Doctor Franken Stein scooted his wheeled chair closer to the mirror, his usual cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth and one hand casually moving up to twist the screw in his skull. A moment later, he tilted his head to one side with what could be a faint smirk crossing his features.

"Indeed she does."

"A shame she went through what she did." Lord Death continued. "But let's not linger on the past, shall we~? Have you decided where she will be best utilized~?"

"Given the information that we have, I think it would be best if she and her Weapon were to pose as students for the time being." Stein pulled the cigarette away from his lips, blowing a lazy smoke ring before quirking a brow. "Basically, be placed into Maka and Soul's team...unless you could think of a better use of her time."

"No, I trust your judgement, Stein~!" Lord Death clapped his hands, turning back to the mirror and staring at the brown haired male trailing along beside the young woman. A thoughtful look might have crossed his face, but then he heaved a regretful sigh.

"A shame that I was unable to keep Yuno. His abilities in particular would have made him a valuable Weapon to wield."

Stein raised a brow, steel grey eyes flicking to the mentioned Weapon before back again. "You act as if it's an impossibility."

Lord Death snorted dryly. "You and I both know why I cannot, Stein. Your daughter is…unique. To separate them now…it would be catastrophic."

"But not necessarily. A simple experiment could be arranged…" the scarred and stitched up male grinned suddenly, eyes glinting in the light. "It wouldn't take long at all…"

"No. They have come this far. And I fear that it will be even farther before they are allowed to live in peace."

With that, Lord Death fell silent, and Stein quickly reigned in himself and coughed before joining his mentor.

-;-

"You know, you would think that this place would change just a little bit since we've been gone." Aaron mused as she and Yuno calmly moved up the steps to the Academy, bags slung over their shoulders. "It's still the same boring place it's always been."

"If you say so." Yuno replied, keeping an eye out for students and staff alike. His reputation was spread a small amount more than Aaron's, and at the moment, the brown haired male really didn't want to have to deal with anyone he didn't have to.

"Mhm."

He rolled his eyes, slouching further into the hoodie that was several sizes to large, and blew his bangs out of his face in mild irritation. Normally, he wasn't this irritable, but given that the pair of them had been travelling almost non-stop for two days, it was understandable that emotions were riding high. Not that Aaron looked as though anything were bothering her, but then again, she was a master of keeping her feelings locked up tight where no one could get to them. He wasn't exactly looking forward to going back to the school, simply because of the memories that this place resurfaced in the back of his mind; not all of them pleasant, either.

"What exactly are we going to be doing? It's not like we can just walk around." He asked finally, deciding to just ask outright.

"Don't be a fool. We're not going to just be walking around. We're coming back as students. Undercover, of course, and most likely we're going to be around the Weapon who was infected with the Black Blood."

"So we're going to be around this Weapon and his Technician? As in, going out into the field?" Yuno persisted, a sudden feeling of momentary dread flashing through him. "Aaron, there's a reason-"

"I know _exactly_ why there's a reason, Yuno. Don't try to lecture me." Aaron snarled, green eyes flashing dangerously behind her glasses. "And you should know _exactly_ why I even agreed to this ridiculous idea in the first place!"

Both Technician and Weapon stared one another down, bristling with flared tempers for several long minutes before Yuno relented. Averting his eyes, he allowed himself to fall back into his slight slouch, completely fulfilling the role of submissive to the Technician. At the same time, Aaron sighed heavily, olive green eyes softening behind her black rimmed glasses. Glancing up at Yuno, she opened her mouth, as if to say something, before she snapped her jaw shut and continuing up the steps like nothing had happened in the first place. Automatically, Yuno followed, lost in his own thoughts.

-;-

"Lord Death."

"Aaron~! I see you're looking well!" Lord Death nearly cooed, clapping his hands together in the usual irritating habit that always seemed to grate on everyone's nerves in the vicinity. "And Yuno~! So glad to see you as well~! Everything going well, I take it?"

Yuno remained silent, leaning against the red frame of the arch that led into the odd chamber that looked as though it simply opened up to blue sky. However, his eyes glittered like sapphires as his name was mentioned, and he crossed his arms a moment later.

Aaron, however, was the more composed, despite what it might look like. The black haired woman stood in front of the two people she had no wish to see anytime soon, her limbs rigid and tense under the scrutiny of both her father and Lord Death. Her pack was still slung over one shoulder, and it was easy to see how tense she really was by the steadily whitening knuckles that rested there. Say what she might and pretend to be as nonchalant as she liked, Aaron was wary and fearful, for good reason. The last time she'd been in the presence of both of the beings, it hadn't been pretty.

"Well enough." Aaron finally said, sounding the ever polite student. "But I didn't come here for such insignificant chat. The Black Blood. I am here to find out as much as I can and do as much as I can for the student, and protect the remainder of the populace from future incidences."

"And what of Yuno?"

"His particular skills are more suited to defense, of course, so I will leave the protection to the student we're being assigned to to him. I have full confidence that he will have no issues with dealing with any threats that should arise."

Lord Death seemed to appraise the woman for several moments before nodding once and gesturing Stein forward. "Very well. I shall leave the matter of informing you to Doctor Stein."

Her father rolled himself forward, and she could already tell what was going to happen; mentally, she did the same countdown she had down countless times before, and barely even blinked as the man tipped over onto his side. Coughing, he moved back up, mumbling something no doubt unpleasant under his breath as he straightened himself out.

"You are to pose as students and be grouped together with two sets of Technicians and Weapons. Occasionally, there will be a third set, but given that the third Technician is Lord Death's son, don't keep your hopes up. He rarely ever shows up unless he finds everything symmetrical, and his Weapons are usually predictable in the way that they will stay by his side."

"Understood. When do we begin?"

Stein allowed a smirk to flash across his features. Pulling out his cigarette, he blew a mouthful of smoke out and raised a brow.

"Right now, of course."

-;-

_London, seven hours later._

"HAHAHAHAHA! BlackStar in London!"

Aaron and Yuno shared a short look, Yuno raising a brow and Aaron silently doing the same.

"It is snowing." Tsubaki, BlackStar's Weapon, stated quietly. "Aren't you cold?"

"Snow? It's nothing; I would take off my jacket rather than to wear one!" the blue haired boy boasted, striking an odd crouching pose on the bridge. "But anyway…" he stood, sending the other two of their usual team a look. "Since you guys have been attacked by Dark Blade, all of our practical training is together. Don't slow me down!"

Aaron, by this point, had already made it quite clear that she thought the blue haired kid needed a good handful of beatings to lower his ego to Yuno, who wouldn't agree out loud but was thinking the exact same thing.

The pair, Soul and Maka, shot one another a dirty look before turning away from each other; something that had been nagging the black haired woman the entirety of their trip here.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Tsubaki asked, immediately rushing to try and remedy the situation. "You see? It's great that we're in London!"

"What happened to them?" BlackStar asked, half to himself and half to the 'newcomers' that were now a part of their group. Aaron ticked off one option. Obviously this idiot didn't know what was going on either.

"Who knows?" Aaron shrugged, stuffing her hands into the pockets of the long winter jacket she wore. "We thought you might have a clue, but apparently I was mistaken."

BlackStar huffed before catching Maka's attention. "I can't feel the 'Soul Reaction', so if you can check it…" the blue haired boy hinted, none too subtly, of course.

"Oh. Sure…" Maka replied before focusing for a long moment. However, before the blond could say anything, Yuno's eyes snapped open, gleaming gold for a single moment.

"Right in front of us." He warned a moment before the man made himself known.

"What is he doing here on the bridge?" BlackStar wondered, momentarily causing Aaron to resist the urge to cuff the idiot. What did he think a guy in a prisoner's outfit would be doing on a bridge? Especially in the middle of the night, with students who just so happened to be from the Academy?

"His soul is not normal…" Maka muttered. "There are many things mixed up with- is he human? Or a witch people? There are some other things in it…"

"So is he on Lord Death's list? We're lucky this time."

_Lucky? He considers being up against Demon Eye is LUCKY!? _Aaron internally wondered. What had she managed to get into this time. Looking over to Yuno, the pair of them silently debated what they should do. This was definitely not expected, going up against Demon Eyes himself.

"-and it'll be enough!" BlackStar was saying to Tsubaki, doing something with his hands.

"_Soul Resonance!" _

"I think he's got a death wish." Aaron smirked, a sudden darker light flashing in her green eyes. It only lasted a moment however, and then she was back to staring emotionlessly at their opponent of the evening.

"Ice Spindle!"

"Well, that doesn't look good." Yuno commented offhandedly as BlackStar suddenly collapsed, seconds before attacking the man in front of them.

"Though he may be strong and powerful…what an idiot." Maka deadpanned from next to them.

Yuno tensed next to Aaron, and the black haired woman looked up just to see Soul digging his weapon arm into the man's chest. The question of the moment, however, was fight or flight.

"Fool." Aaron stated lightly as Soul retreated, immediately earning everyone's attention. "If you paid any attention to him, you would realize that he is a member of the Immortal Clan."

"Very good, little girl." Demon Eye praised, a wide grin spreading across his pale face. "Allow me to show you my true shape as a reward!"

"Yuno!"

The brown haired male nodded his head, a grim look on his features, before his eyes glowed gold and he disappeared into the air with a flicker of what appeared to be lightning, reappearing in his Technician's hands as a pair of long silver daggers. Automatically, Aaron flipped them so the blades were resting against her inner forearms, and waited for the incoming attack. Next to her, Maka and Soul did the same, only to have Maka drop the scythe as though it had bitten her.

"Your soul wavelengths…" Tsubaki murmured in quiet horror. "They don't match up?"

"Our soul waves don't synchronize!?" Soul's voice demanded from the scythe. "Maka!"

"The rules made by you folks are bothersome!" Demon Eye scoffed from across from them. "Surely an eyesore! I'll tear all of you into pieces! Fighting Wolf Fist! Here we go!"

Before anyone could move, Demon Eye was already in motion, and had slammed Maka into a pillar of the bridge before Aaron or Yuno could fully understand what was happening.

"Ice Pillar!"

"Let's go, Yuno." Aaron growled, crouching low to the ground.

Before Demon Eye could do anything else to Maka, a blindingly bright pair of gold eyes stared out at Demon Eyes, pausing him for a moment. There was no distinction between iris or sclera, only the bright glow, and with a small smirk, Aaron lunged.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size, Demon Eye?" she asked coolly, raking one of Yuno's blades across the werewolf's torso. She wasn't going to put all of her energy behind her attacks; they were mostly to distract him while the others gathered themselves.

"Aha. A foe worthy of praise." Demon Eye hummed, dodging another blow and retaliating with a heavy kick that knocked Aaron off balance. "A shame you lack the skill to defeat me!"

"Like hell I do, you prick." Aaron snapped back, lifting her blades.

"_NO!"_ Yuno yelled.

Matching them hilt to hilt, she slammed them together, igniting a giant whirlwind of lightning and causing it to explode outwards, seeking the only thing within the twenty foot radius. The werewolf let out a choked howling whine for a moment before falling to the snow that covered the bridge, and Aaron hissed as she suddenly felt the all too familiar sensation of her fingers losing control of themselves.

Gritting her teeth, she struggled to hold on to Yuno's blades, but a second later, she had to. And then Demon Eye was on her, another heavy kick connecting, with a sphere of ice connected to the chain that was attached to his ankle. Closing her eyes, it was all Aaron could do not to completely lose herself to the pain that followed, and she quickly felt gentle hands grabbing her.

"_DON'T TOUCH MY TECHNICIAN!"_

She wanted to speak, but the spasms were coming quicker, cutting off her air supply. She choked, and in her panic, she tried to grab onto Yuno.

"Shh…I've got you, I'm trying, Aaron." The male murmured a moment later, placing gentle fingers on well-known locations on her skull and gently applying pressure. "Just hold on, okay?"

She wanted to say yes, but her lips refused to function. Her limbs twitched, and her mind felt like it was being branded with a hot poker, and in a sudden flash of desperation, she simply stopped thinking. Simply stopped and sunk into the waiting dark.


	3. Chapter 3

Aaron woke to silence. Her head was prickling lightly from gentle fingers, which were currently sending small pulses through her head. A strangled moan escaped from her lips, and dazed green eyes flicked up to meet concerned blue.

"How are you feeling?" Yuno asked, cool breath ghosting over her face.

"Like shit." Aaron murmured in reply, shifting and hissing at the sudden pain. "What happened?"

"Well, you did exactly what I warned you not to do." The Weapon said quietly, eyes narrowing. "Aaron, I told you to stop using that attack. You know that it can be a trigger. And not only that, but you're getting more reckless."

The black haired woman sighed. "Are you done lecturing me?"

"No. But I'll settle for waiting before I really lecture you." The brown haired male sighed, removing his hands from the side of her head and blinking wearily.

"Mhm. We're in my father's rooms?" Aaron muttered, slowly shoving herself up into what could be considered a sitting position.

"Yeah. He did some of the usual." Yuno replied, moving back to allow Aaron more room.

"More stitches, huh. Should have seen that one coming."

"Indeed. Luckily, it means you get out of here now instead of in a couple of weeks." Stein's voice suddenly chimed in, earning both the Weapon and the Technician's attention.

Aaron said nothing, but after a long pause, she nodded. "Thank you, father."

"Of course." Stein replied behind his glasses, cigarette bobbing along with his words. "Now, as long as you take it easy, I don't see any reason why you can't come to class after lunch."

"You still need us to keep an eye on the Black Blood Weapon, of course." Aaron sighed. The black haired woman winced again at the slight pressure that was building into what was sure to be a migraine later on, but threw her legs over the side of the bed and stood, however shakily. "Fine. Yuno, you have my bag?"

"Yes. It's back in our assigned room. You want me to grab it on the way to class?"

"Please." Aaron nodded, accepting her glasses from her father and placing them back on her nose. "Now, I'm going to go find some food, and I swear to God, if someone so much as tells me to get to bed, I swear I'll dissect them."

-;-

"I think everybody is already aware that the time has come. What do you think? How have you all progressed?"

Aaron ignored what her father was saying, dozing lightly against Yuno's shoulder. On the other side of the Weapon, the Thompson sisters were sitting next to their Technician, but the brown haired male didn't pay them any mind.

"The common exams for both Technicians and Weapons, the 'Super Written Exams'. The exams are getting closer; only one week left. I'm the one who prepared the exams this time. There's all kinds of people: some anxious, some impatients, but…do your best. Okay- break out!"

With that said, the scientist pushed off from his desk, tipping over with a surprised yelp as the students immediately evacuated the room. Aaron snorted, jolting awake, and blinked once at her father before yawning and stumbling out after the rest of the class.

"So, you think we'll do alright on the exams?" Yuno asked Aaron in amusement, packing up their books and heading down the stairs and out into the hall. "Maybe we'll even make it to the top."

"Did you know that whoever ranks first for the 'Super Written Exam' will receive a spell that can create the undead?" the pair heard Soul ask BlackStar, who gaped in shock and then proceeded to go off into a slight bragging spiel about how he was going to turn Tsubaki into the undead. A fact that Aaron didn't miss.

"Leave her alone, pipsqueak." The black haired woman snapped, drawing immediate attention to herself.

"What?" BlackStar asked, looking momentarily stunned. Apparently, no one had ever questioned his attitude towards his own Weapon before.

"I realize that Tsubaki is compatible with nearly everyone; her behavior is proof enough of that. But that doesn't mean that she doesn't have feelings. She can think for herself, despite the fact that she goes along with everything you tell her to. And don't try to deny it, Tsubaki, because I can tell when you're lying. Your soul never lies." Aaron growled, jabbing a finger accusingly in BlackStar's direction and glaring at Tsubaki when the quiet woman opened her mouth to protest.

"Hold on- you can see souls?" Maka piped up, momentarily distracting everyone.

"Obviously." Aaron drawled. "Now, if you'll all excuse us, I have other things to do than to attempt to get my point through your thick skull. And if you don't excuse us, I'm leaving anyway."

With that, the black haired woman stalked off, head held high and Yuno trailing behind her. As bad as he felt about the verbal lashing that the blue haired kid had just received, a small part of him was deeply amused. This was the side of Aaron that he'd missed since they'd left the Academy; she'd become a little too…_tame_.

Behind all of the students, Spirit and Stein watched the proceedings, Spirit's jaw hanging open with a mixture of shock and awe. Stein, on the other hand, was smirking, his hands shoved into his lab-coat pockets. A moment earlier, Maka's father had been sending her 'support aura' to help the blond with her exams, but after seeing Aaron chew out BlackStar, he'd decided to go with gaping like an idiot. Which wasn't all that different, considering his usual attitude towards most things that completely boggled the mind.

"That's your daughter, alright." He finally coughed, looking away awkwardly.

"Indeed she is." The scientist smirked, reaching up to twist the screw in his skull a couple of times.

-;-

_Three days before exam_

Everyone seemed to be completely and utterly insane, the closer the exams drew. Yuno and Aaron barely saw any of the group that they had been semi-accepted into, and it seemed that it was going to be staying that way until further notice. Not that the pair of them cared much. They'd passed the exams before, and they would do it again with top marks, as per usual.

Aaron idly wondered what the other students would think if she and Yuno managed to come in first place again, and then continued that train of thought to what she would do with the undead spell if she came in first. Really, she didn't have any need for it. But it could certainly come in handy for something, someday, for sure. After all, she'd grown up while taking great care not to overlook anything that could be proven useful for something in the future.

"Hey, Yuno. What do you think about the shark toothed kid?" Aaron asked as she flipped through one of her old textbooks.

"Soul Eater? I don't know. But I can say that when he fought Demon Eye, it was obvious to see that he has Black Blood in his veins. And I think that there's a distinct possibility that his Technician may be infected with it as well."

"Well, that could cause problems for them in the future." Aaron frowned, looking up from her book. "If Maka were to ever feel the more severe effects of the Black Blood, it could mean the possibility of her turning into a Kishin if nothing is done to prevent it."

"Hn." Yuno hummed, considering that thought. "Well, I suppose that means we should probably go back to Doctor Stein's laboratory and do some more research."

"Oh well. It would probably be for the best if we did. Father has a few records of Black Blood and its properties lying around in storage somewhere that could prove useful." Aaron relented, though she pouted as she did so.

"Shall we get going, then?"

"Yeah…"

-;-

_Day before the exam_

"Hey, you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"I think we may have company." Aaron smirked, a dark gleam in her eyes. Shifting among the pile of folders that surrounded (and covered part of her legs), she stood and stretched before extending her hand. "Yuno."

"Alright. If you think it necessary." The brown haired male rolled his eyes, though he did turn into his bladed form and flip into his Technician's hands.

"Of course not. But it doesn't mean that I can't have a bit of fun." The black haired woman smiled, baring her teeth as she did so.

Moving through the hallway silently, Aaron wasn't all that surprised to find her father walking down the hall as well, a dark aura surrounding him. Obviously, he knew who the offending person wandering around his laboratory was.

At seeing his daughter, Stein raised a finger to his lips, but didn't make any move to reduce the threatening aura surrounding him; not that Aaron expected him to. She was feeling a little bloodthirsty herself, really. There was someone in her territory, and threats always needed to be taken care of before they could do anything to her. Aaron nodded, a wide grin spreading across her features as she heard a familiar voice from a room up ahead.

"-best of the two! Hyahahahahaha!"

Stein and Aaron silently moved up behind the blue haired BlackStar, and it only took a moment before the Technician realized how much danger he happened to be in. Turning, the only thing he could see was two pairs of dangerously gleaming green eyes and an all too familiar screw being cranked in the crazy scientist's skull.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here, Doctor?" Aaron asked, eyes glittering dangerously. "A student who's decided to try to cheat? Dear dear, we can't have that now, can we?"

"No, we can't." Stein replied with a dark chuckle. "I believe I will leave this one in your capable hands, Aaron."

"Of course, sir." Aaron replied, inclining her head as Stein left the room.

"Now…." She turned her attention to BlackStar, a sinister grin flashing across her features. "Whatever will I do with you?"


	4. Chapter 4

_Test Day_

"I'm the Examiner. Before we start the test, there's one thing…" Sid commented, straightening and moving to one side, gesturing with one arm to a bloody and bruised BlackStar, who was hung up by the back of his shirt next to the blackboard.

"_BlackStar!?"_ Tsubaki gawked, the usually quiet Weapon in complete and utter shock.

"Here, we have a moron who decided to steal the test from Professor Stein's lab yesterday. Misconduct will not be tolerated!"

Aaron blinked sleepily, jolting out of her partial nap-state that she'd fallen into on Yuno's shoulder. Contrary to what people might actually think, other people's shoulders were in fact very comfortable to sleep on. And sleep on Yuno she did. Besides, she was still exhausted from the past few days events. Especially beating the living crap out of BlackStar. That had been fun, too.

"The test is 60 minutes long. Turn over your question sheets." Sid said, glancing over at the clock, no doubt waiting for the bell to sound. Of course, as she usually did, Aaron counted down on one hand to Yuno and grinned tiredly as the bell sounded right on time.

"Okay…begin!"

Aaron and Yuno flipped over their papers and immediately got to work, Yuno's pen easily gliding across the paper, filling in answers he could recite while asleep. Aaron smirked to herself and did the same. She and her Weapon were two of the smartest people in the room, as well as a couple of the oldest. Then again, it wasn't entirely unheard of to find adult Technicians and Weapons coming to the school. Shrugging that thought off, the black haired teen focused on her work, pen scrawling out thin writing across the paper.

It was near silent until the shark-toothed moron decided that he would mutter under his breath about winning, to which he was then stripped down to his underwear in front of the entirety of the room. Honestly. There were better and far more stealthy methods of cheating on an exam, and this kid had a long way to go before he was even close to understanding how pros could do it. Sitting a couple of rows higher up than the moron, it only took another twenty minutes for Aaron to finish and flip her paper back over on the table, leaning back onto Yuno's shoulder and yawning. If there was nothing better to do, she might as well watch the shark-toothed kid to see what he would do next.

First he tried to copy off of the Reaper kid, which was a total waste of time, considering his OCD. But then, he turned to the shorter Thompson sister, which was probably not the best idea. She was doodling with crayons all over the paper, and judging by the colors and the fact that she was humming 'giraffe' under her breath, it was pretty clear what she was up to.

Closing her eyes, Aaron fell asleep, snuggled into a very warm and comfortable shoulder.

-;-

She didn't wake up until after class; Yuno prodded Aaron's side until she growled and slapped his hand away, causing the male to roll his eyes and huff as he scooped his Technician into his arms and grabbed their bags from under the desk into the one hand that he could still maneuver. Really, sometimes he wondered who was the adult in their relationship.

"Yuno…I'm hungry." The girl in his arms announced sleepily, cracking open one eye. "Can you make me food? Please?"

"Yeah, yeah." The male replied with a soft smile, blowing his Technician's hair out of her eyes as she hummed and shifted closer to her Weapon's chest. Well…maybe it wasn't always hard to tell who the adult was. Just a little hard to distinguish who was the leader and the follower.

-;-

_Exam Results Announcement_

_Total of 130 Participants_

First Place: Aaron -100 points

Second Place: Yuno -100 points

Third Place: Maka -100 points

Fourth Place: Ox-kun -99 points

"Wow….three students with one hundred percent…and one of them is a Weapon!" someone exclaimed as the group of students clustered around the announcement. Aaron and Yuno glanced over to one another and then over to Maka, who was currently looking both shocked and irritated. Particularly because Soul had managed to flunk the test, giving them both a bad name.

Aaron had to snicker at seeing some of the other results, though. Quiet Tsubaki did quite well, coming in at twenty-seventh, while Patty managed to get a couple of points just because she'd made a giant paper giraffe out of her test paper. Which she actually made a mental note of so that she could congratulate the girl the next time she crossed paths with her. But considering that she, her sister and Kid were all out on some kind of top secret mission, it would be highly unlikely that she would see the girl anytime soon.

"Congratulations, Aaron-san." Someone commented from next to her. Jumping, one of Aaron's hands automatically touched Yuno's elbow, ready to call him for help, before she realized it was Tsubaki that had spoken. Relaxing , the Technician offered a small smile to the shy girl.

"You as well, Tsubaki. You did quite well." She inclined her head, fixing her glasses. "I apologize for your Technician. I'm sure you both could have gone quite far if it hadn't been for his unfortunate tendency to get himself into trouble."

Tsubaki flushed, ducking her head, and Aaron silently snorted to herself. Honestly; she didn't understand how some Weapons were so compatible with Technicians. Having seen her and BlackStar in action when they actually managed to be serious, it was obvious that the blue haired brat was extremely talented. But unfortunately, he had an ego that would knock most others to their knees.

"Well…he means well…most of the time." The Weapon offered as an explanation, though she wasn't smiling as she said it. "Really, he does. He's just not sure how to go about things."

"Hn." Aaron hummed, digesting that. Not a lot of new data, but enough that it would be beneficial for her to store it away for use at a later date. "Well, it was good to see you again, Tsubaki, but I'm afraid Yuno and I are needed elsewhere."

"You too, Aaron-san." Tsubaki nodded as Aaron turned and began pushing through the crowd, Yuno at her heels.

-;-

"Professor. A word."

"Of course." Stein nodded, eyes flickering to each side of the hall before nodding to his daughter. "Where's Yuno? You two are so rarely seen apart from one another that some would begin to wonder what the extent of your relationship is."

"Yuno is busy." Aaron replied, crossing her arms. "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't remind me of our relationship as is. It is, as you could imagine, a sore spot for us."

"Hn." Stein inclined his head, beginning to move down the hall towards one of the soundproof rooms that he himself had worked on, Aaron easily falling into step beside him. "I see you and Yuno were the top students. Congratulations."

"Thank you. I noticed Maka looked more than disappointed that she wasn't the only one at the top. Then again, Ox-kun didn't look all that pleased either, so I suppose I am to assume that there is more than just a small amount of rivalry here these days."

"You could say that. Ox and Maka frequently butt heads, you could say. They are the top of their class- at least, when you aren't here."

"I see."

There was silence, and when the pair finally made it to one of Stein's personal rooms, he ushered her insider leisurely before following behind, closing and locking the door behind them. It took another several moments for him to study the room with wary eyes before he moved over to the wheeled chair that he was usually not seen without and sitting himself down, a cigarette appearing in his nimble fingers.

"So. Am I to assume that this has something to do with your episode in London?" Stein asked his daughter, lighting the cigarette with an air of practice and breathing out a thin line of smoke.

"Even you should know the answer to that question, father." The black haired woman replied coolly. "I need you to check mine and Yuno's resonance again. As soon as possible. As well as my blood."

"You think that you may be picking up on traces of the Black Blood from Yuno? I thought you two had a handle on that by now."

"You and I both know how our souls resonate, father. And you in particular should know the effects that the seizures have on me. I have absolutely no defences against it." Aaron bit back. "And yes, Yuno does have control of it. But when we mix our wavelengths like that, neither of us anticipates the traces."

Her father held her gaze for a long several moments before he nodded. "Alright. I can take a sample now and get back to you by tonight. But we'll have to wait until class to check on your resonance. You may alert unwanted presences to your true identities."

"I can accept that." The black haired woman replied, adjusting her glasses and seating herself down, rolling up the sleeve of her shirt as she did so. "Now, hurry up and get this over with so that I can go and assist Yuno with hunting down that infernal blue haired brat."

-;-

Yuno watched as Sid left the school, mouth set in a frown and eyes narrowed in thought. He had a pretty good idea already that he knew who the witch was in the school. The only problem was, did he want to follow the man and possibly be caught up in everything, or would he stay here and help protect the students? Either way, his assignment was the same.

Blinking, he turned away from the window, arms crossed, and raised his gaze to look down the hall. A couple of students were chattering away to one another, one a young girl, the other an older girl. They smiled and giggled as they turned down another hall, and their laughter continued to grow fainter and fainter until the Weapon was unable to hear it any longer. At one point, he and Aaron had been like that. But now, there was so much more going on than they could even keep track of. More baggage, more experience, more bloodshed. They were no longer the naïve students that they had once been. They were veterans. They knew what the real world was like after leaving the Academy. Most didn't even finish their schooling, preferring to leave early and simply live with their Weapons in peace. But the dedicated few who stuck around, the ones whose partners had been with them for as long as they could remember…they were the ones who should have left while they had the chance.

It was by pure and utter bad luck and misfortune that Yuno and Aaron had become permanent partners. They needed one another to continue living normally, and whether they liked it or not, they had to learn how to depend on one another. Luckily, before all of the shit had started flying, they'd been partners as is. It was really because of him that they were bound now. Because of one stupid mistake, and Aaron had to have him around as her Weapon for the rest of her life. But then again, the same could be said for her. She had to stay with him because of everything she'd done, though it would never amount to the massive amount of screwing up that Yuno had managed to pull off. After all, with all of his warring and fighting with the Kishin, getting infected with Black Blood had very much so managed to take away any future that he might have had if he'd become Lord Death's scythe. Mind, it wasn't that he hadn't become a Death Scythe; far from it, actually, but the fact that his Technician was now the only Technician he could be paired with.

"What're you thinking about so deeply?"

Blinking, he noted Aaron quirking a brow at him. He wasn't entirely sure when she'd arrived, but by the looks of things, his deep thinking was providing a source of entertainment at the very least.

"Nothing." He lied easily, offering his Technician a smile. Aaron further raised a brow, but said nothing. They both respected the other's right to silence, and now was no exception. Unless it absolutely depended on the fate of the world, they could keep their silence.

"Alright. If you're done being mysterious, I've got an appointment with my father again in twenty minutes. If you're interested, of course."

"Yes. I'll come." The male nodded, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Everything okay?"

"Hopefully. Just the usual shit that we've got to put up with after one of my 'episodes'. Don't worry about it. I'm fine."

But even as she said it, Yuno could tell that her heart wasn't really into it. She was worried, just as he was worried. But then again, that was why they had each other to lean on.

They were partners.


	5. Chapter 5

"The good news is that there were no traces of Black Blood in the sample you gave me." Stein nodded, taking a puff of his cigarette and exhaling lightly. "Although I wouldn't advise either of you to push yourselves while synchronizing for the next few days, just to be safe."

"I wasn't planning on it at all, actually." Yuno commented from his position in the chair nearest the door, arms and legs both crossed. "Given that this was a grand mal, I don't even want to risk that."

Aaron huffed an irritated sigh, crossing her own arms and blowing a stray piece of hair out of her eyes. What was with Yuno suddenly being a mother hen? Then again, she could see where her Weapon was coming from…in a round-about way. "Thanks, Yuno. What if something happens and we need to fight?"

"You're perfectly capable of using hand to hand martial arts, and I'm a Weapon. I'm supposed to be able to take care of myself." The blue eyed male rolled his eyes. "Are you really going to make this much fuss about something that could potentially kill you?"

"Yep. So you've got about an hour to get over it and decide if you really want me to be irritated at you for the next unknown period of time." The black haired woman smirked suddenly, uncrossing her arms and walking past the male and out the door. "Thank you for your input, Professor."

Yuno grumbled something under his breath, to which Stein chuckled, shaking his head as the Weapon quickly followed after his Technician.

Aaron was his daughter, alright. Even though she sounded so much like her mother at times…

-;-

The courtyard was silent.

Aaron sighed as she sat against the side of the Academy, chin resting on her knees and looking out over the town surrounding the building below. She'd ditched Yuno for the moment; telling him straight up that she needed some time alone. It wasn't a lie, either. Being back in the Academy brought back memories, and not all of them were particularly pleasant. And that included the memories of her father. Some pleasant…others not so much. Given that the man was clinically insane, it wasn't surprising that she had some kind of trauma from that.

But no, it had been their falling out that was making it hard to be here, back among familiar faces and classes that she'd thought she'd put behind her once and for all. With him, too. It was taking a toll on the black haired woman, trying not to lose it at any moment around the man. Both of them had their poker faces, and it was only a matter of time before one of them snapped.

"You look like you're thinking deeply." A soft voice said. Aaron blinked, looking up at the form of Tsubaki. The black haired Weapon smiled gently at the other girl and nodded to the place next to Aaron. "May I join you?"

"Of course." The black haired woman shrugged, slightly confused as to why Tsubaki had managed to come and find her. It was really only the logical explanation, considering that there was currently no sign of the blue haired brat anywhere nearby, so it left little to the imagination as to what means brought the Weapon to her. It was the why that was now nosing about in her mind. Why had the black haired Weapon sought her out?

"Thank you." Tsubaki murmured a moment later.

"For what?"

"For standing up for me. Even though it wasn't really necessary, I still appreciate the thought."

Aaron snorted. "It had nothing to do about necessity. It's all about that blue haired brat and the way he treats you that pisses me off. Sure, I get that you're a compatible Weapon, but that doesn't mean that you have to put up with so much abuse from your Technician. Contrary to what people might think about me and Yuno, he tells me off whenever I do something stupid to him."

Well. That had been slightly unexpected. Where had all of that come from?

"BlackStar comes from a…difficult…background." Tsubaki stated after several minutes of silence. "I know it may not seem like it, but he's been through a lot. Maybe it's just because I'm so adaptable, but I think we get along fine, for the most part."

"I didn't say anything about you and him not being compatible." Aaron pointed out. "All I said was that his attitude should change in the way that he perceives you. Regardless of how harsh a life he's had, no one should be forced to do anything that they don't want to, and no one should be verbally abused just because the assaulter can do it whenever he or she pleases."

"Hn." Tsubaki hummed, perhaps in agreement, perhaps not. Aaron couldn't quite tell what the Weapon was thinking for a while, and she went back to thinking of her own darker thoughts while the other female digested.

Finally, Tsubaki tilted her head slightly to one side, as if she thought of something new. "Are you and Yuno going to the Christmas Eve Commemoration?"

"Probably. Not because I necessarily want to, though. Mostly because Lord Death will want to show off one of the more successful pairs of Tech and Weapon he has here at the Academy." Aaron made a face. Again, truth. Lord Death knew the significance of their cover and would most likely want them there to show off, with Maka, and prove that there were smart students and that everyone could be more like them, and so on and so forth.

She was so not looking forward to that.

"Oh. I see. Well, I should get going. BlackStar should be awake by now. Another accident…" the black haired Weapon mumbled, getting to her feet carefully. "I'll see you around, Aaron-san."

"Yeah." Aaron agreed, though for what reason, she wasn't entirely sure. Was that disappointment she saw in the other woman's eyes?

-;-

_Foundation Commemoration_

_Christmas Eve_

"Well, I don't know about you, but I have the feeling that I am going to be going to look for snacks." Aaron commented offhandedly to Yuno as they entered the hall, yawning and absently brushing back her very straight hair.

For once, the black haired woman wasn't wearing her signature glasses, instead wearing a pair of very neglected contacts. Along with this, she had discarded her usual yoga pants and baggy sweater in favor of a slimming pair of black skinny jeans and a matching pair of black heels that made her taller than she already was. Along with this, she wore a loose black shirt that dipped lower than most would feel comfortable with, the fabric loose and comfortable on her. Her short black hair was straightened, and due to it, it now brushed the back of her neck in a slight mane-like manner. Yuno, as it was, was clad in a pair of red suit pants, a dark navy blue dress shirt, and a red waistcoat that made him look very much like a butler. His brown hair was in a higher tail than usual, and it only served to make him even more attractive than he already was. Already, he had had several guests attempt to flirt with him, only to be shot down by himself and his Technician.

"Can you wait until after Lord Death's announcement or it a pressing matter?" Yuno drawled, rolling his eyes and huffing at his Technician's typical behavior. She really didn't like social circumstances such as these. As a result, she usually made a break for the most isolated places that she could find that included her not talking to anyone unless absolutely necessary. Examples being either a balcony or the food table, in this particular instance.

"I suppose it could wait…" the black haired woman grumbled back, crossing her arms.

Luckily, she only had to wait a moment, as Lord Death took the stage, Spirit standing next to him in a very non-threatening position that Aaron knew could change at any given moment.

"Shuuu! Thank you, thank you! I greatly appreciate your efforts!" Lord Death said graciously, spreading his ridiculously large hands out in a friendly gesture. Immediately, murmurs of 'Lord Death' spread around the room, the guests smiling at seeing the unusually mysterious creature somewhere other than his odd cloud room and clapping respectfully. Aaron and Yuno joined in, Aaron's eyes honing in on her father, who was standing off to one side near to the Academy nurse. Quickly taking in his slightly threatening position, the woman analyzed the woman before turning her attention back to Lord Death. If her father was hanging around the nurse, it could very well mean that he had a lead that he was following up on. Meaning that it was very possible that she could be who was behind this whole mess. However, she would only jump in if it was clear that something was very wrong. Just because she wielded a Death Scythe didn't mean that she was reckless. She'd survived this long for a reason, damn it all, and she wasn't about to jeopardize her position now.

"Well, this said, my speech is now finished~" Lord Death chimed, looking far too smug about that fact. Silently, Aaron rolled her eyes slightly. Some things just didn't change over time, and it looked like Lord Death was one of those things.

However, his bratling, Kid, took the stage next, and as soon as he started talking, Aaron decided that he had nothing good to say and meandered over to the food table, grabbing herself a small plate and studying the display clinically before deciding that if she got a little bit of everything, she would have enough food to keep her full for several hours.

It wasn't long after she arrived that the blue haired brat appeared next to her, not seeming to realize who exactly it was that was currently standing next to him. Vaguely amused, Aaron raised a brow and reached across the glutton's vision, earning an irritated growl. The kid turned, no doubt about to launch into some kind of spiel about getting in his way, but at seeing who exactly it was, his jaw dropped. A moment later, his eyes bugged out, and then he was sputtering indignantly as he retreated, hands shaking as he left the plate of food he'd been stacking high and ran as if his life depended on it. Smirking, Aaron raised a hand and waved cheerily, knowing full well how terrifying that it would look to BlackStar, and continued to munch on her carrot sticks next to the table, ignoring most of the goings on.

"Aaron-san?"

Blinking, Aaron paused in mid-bite, and turned to see Tsubaki tilting her head to one side in slight confusion. The black haired Weapon was dressed simply, with a slimming dress that only served to enhance the gentle girl's features.

"Oh. Hello, Tsubaki. You look lovely." Aaron complimented with a half-smile, placing the plate down on the edge of the table. "Unfortunately, I seem to have scared off your idiot partner, so I can't deny that I had something to do with it."

"Ah. That would explain why he doesn't seem to be anywhere in sight. He said that he would be over here." The Weapon replied in her usual gentle way, flashing a quick smile in the older teen's direction. "In that case, would you mind some company?"

"Not at all." Aaron smiled.

-;-

Yuno, on the other hand, had decided that if Aaron was going to be hiding out by the food table that he might as well make a break for the balcony before it really got insane in the room. Sure, he was a Weapon and all, but to be honest, he wasn't entirely fond of small spaces. He would much rather be out in the open air, where he could actually take a breath without accidentally inhaling some woman's overly ripe perfume or nudge into another person.

Weaving through the crowd, the unfortunate Weapon didn't even see the violet haired woman in his way until he tripped over the back of some older woman's long train, sending him flying into her and taking them both down to the floor in the process. Almost as soon as they hit the floor, the brown haired was apologizing and lifting himself off of the woman that he had landed on, blushing all the way.

Meanwhile, Blair was wondering what the hell had just slammed into her out of nowhere. Dazedly, she blinked, and met a pair of astonishingly surprised and embarrassed pair of blue eyes.

_Huh. The rest of the package isn't that bad, either… _she thought, taking in the matching blue dress shirt and the red waistcoat and pants.

"I'm so sorry- there was a dress and a train and I didn't even have time to stop myself. Are you alright?" Yuno asked, feeling quite distressed.

"Yes, of course. Don't worry about it, handsome." She replied with a smooth smile, hopping to her feet with her usual amount of energy. "Since you did, technically, rescue me from a rather boring evening, might I know the name of my savior?"

Yuno's face, if possible, flushed further, and the poor Weapon looked as though he wasn't entirely sure of what to do next.

"Yuno. My name is Yuno." He finally stammered out.

"Well, Yuno, my name's Blair. Nice to meet you~!" Blair chirped in reply, fixing her slim fitting dress. Honestly, the dress was totally going to be ditched later, considering that her real outfit was hiding underneath. Mind, her real outfit consisted of shorts and a bra-style top, but that wasn't really the point at the moment.

"You as well." Yuno replied, still blushing furiously. "I apologize again. Excuse me."

With that, the brown haired male retreated, and Blair watched him go with something akin to amusement. It was certainly an interesting evening, but now would be the time for her to retreat. Before she decided she was going to kidnap that cute piece of male and take him home for the night. Smirking to herself, the violet haired woman sauntered over to the balcony, took one look around, and leapt.

-;-

Aaron and Tsubaki, as it turned out, were enjoying themselves immensely despite the obvious awkwardness between them that included a certain someone by the name of BlackStar. Tsubaki still felt slightly defensive about Aaron sticking up for her, while Aaron was simply uncomfortable with actually interacting with people outside of her comfort zone (aka. Yuno).

Well, this continued until a sudden yell of _"Stein!"_ echoed throughout the hall. Everyone turned at the frantic tone, and Sid continued breathlessly, "Quick! Get out of here!"

Aaron stiffened, and instinctively, as everyone else went after Sid, sought out Yuno. Their eyes met briefly through the crowd, and then they were moving after the now fleeing Medusa. However, before they could make it out onto the balcony, coffins erupted from the floor, and suddenly they were falling. Aaron was silent, quickly trying to figure out what the hell was going on, while Yuno let out a squawk of panic. This was something new, that was for sure. But as soon as it began, it was over, and Aaron and Yuno both found themselves landing on very solid flooring.

Aaron snarled out several favored curses as she sat up, rubbing her hip as she did so. It had been a while since she'd fallen from that kind of height, and as she looked around, she realized that she wasn't alone. Her father, along with the group of Technicians and Weapons she and Yuno were supposed to be guarding, were all equally as injured and irritated as she was.

Standing, the black haired woman moved over to the main group, not entirely sure what she was supposed to say, if anything. Her father's eyes met hers, and she quirked an eyebrow.

"So, father, what's the plan?" she asked, feeling more calm than she probably should have. Leaning her weight to one hip, she crossed her arms and curled her lip. "I don't about you, but I want a shot at the fucking witch."

"You and me both." Yuno muttered as he came to stand next to his Technician.

"Hold up- _father_?" several disbelieving voices chorused at the same time. "You're Professor Stein's _daughter_?"

"Oh. Right. Hi. My name is Death Scythe Master Aaron Stein. Nice to meet you." The black haired woman said in full seriousness, though she was partially drawling the words. "And the reason I'm currently here, because to be frank if we're all going to die anyway…is because of Black Blood and the witch behind it."

There were more disbelieving noises, and Aaron rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to her father.

"The city is in emergency state, obviously." She commented. "I think it's time we go and kick some ass."

"Hold on, Aaron." Stein replied, shaking his head slightly. "'Kishin of the First Generation' completely crazy is resting in the underground of the Academy. And now, our general doctor, who is the witch Medusa, wants to resurrect it. We cannot allow that to happen!"

Again, more disbelief, and by this point, Aaron was almost ready to just beat all of the kids heads against the nearest wall. Was it really so hard to believe that not everything was all sunshine and rainbows in the world?

"Correct. I heard it from father." Kid stated. "It is for keeping it locked up that father can't leave this place."

"What? The master of all Reapers can't move from here? I thought he was claustrophobic." BlackStar said, completely clueless. It further solidified the thought in Aaron's mind that the blue haired male was a complete and utter waste of life, and made a note in the back of her mind to kick him in the shins when she got the opportunity.

"Anyway, don't waste the chance that Sid gave us." Stein said softly. "You are the last hope of Death City. I will guide you to the entrance of the basement."

Aaron and Yuno shared a look. They'd been here all of a couple of weeks and it seemed that everything was shot to Hell already. But now was not the time to be thinking of such things. They had a mission to complete, and she knew that there was more than just Death City at risk if they didn't stop Medusa from reviving the Kishin.


End file.
